Railroad-tie



- 2 Sheets-Sheet 1. O. B. PALMER. RAILROAD TIE.

(No Model.)

Patented Aug. 6, 1889.

INVEJVTOR .dttorney (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. 0. B. PALMER.

RAILROAD TIE.

No. 408,255. Patented Aug. 6, 1889.

- INT/EJVTOR I .dttorney UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CORYDON B. PALMER, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

RAI LROAD-Tl E.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 408,255, dated August 6, 1889. Application filed September 26, 1887- Serial No. 250,7 ll- (N0 model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CORYDON B. PALMER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, county of IVayne, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Railroad-Ties; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to metallic railroadties, and has for its more particular object the novel means shown for retaining the rails in place, together with certain other improvements illustrated in the drawings, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a cross-section of a railroad-track in place upon a tie, showing my improved means of retaining said rails in place. Fig. 2 shows the rail held in place by a lug integral with the tie on one side of the rail and a removable retaininglug of modified form on the other side of said rail. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the construction shown in Fig.1. ,Fig. 4 is a sectional view through the rail and tie, showing a depression in the tie for the foot of the rail, and also illustrating the manner of neutralizing the sudden impact of the rail upon the tie caused by rolling-stock. Fig. 5 is a plan view of one of the ties with the retaininglugs removed. Fig. 6 is a plan view showing the end of the tie enlarged to accommodate fastening-bolts upon both sides of the lugs. Fig. 7 shows how two removable lugs may be employed.

To form a metallic tie that will hold the rails firmly in place, and one which can be readily removed for repairs or substituted for a tie already in use, has been the aim of inventors in this class, and this has been accomplished by my invention.

Referring to the letters of reference on the drawings,Aindicates the rails of an ordinary track; B, my improved tie; G, rail-retaining lugs made integral with the tie. D are removable lugs, each held in place by a strap or yoke I) and bolt d passed through the tie and fastened by a key (1 or a nut (1 or both. By attaching the removable lug D to the tie,

as shown, it can be easily removed and the tie drawn from under the rails, or vice versa.

I am aware that removable lugs have been employed, but held in place by a bolt passed up through the tie from below and fastened by a nut above. In this case, in order to place a tie under rails already laid or to withdraw the s'ame, it would be necessary to raise the whole structure in order to place or remove the bolts. No like objection can be raised against my invention, for it is only necessary to remove the bolt, when the lug can be entirely withdrawn. In orderto assist in preventing the rails from spreading laterally, I prefer, though it is not absolutely essential, to make a depression bin the tie deep enough to admit the foot of the rail. This will effectually prevent the spreading of the track. S0, also, an additional depression Z1 may be made in the tie under the rail for the accommodation of a steel spring b or other elastic material to neutralize the jar produced by rolling-stock. This elastic medium may either be a metallic spring, as before stated, or wood, rubber, leather, or wood and leather together, may be used, it only being necessary to present a slight yielding surface to accomplish all that is required. When lugs integral with the tie, together with removable lugs, are employed, I prefer that one stationary lug should grasp one rail on the outside of the track, while the lug for the other rail should grasp the rail on the inside of said track. The idea is this: WVhen it is desired to place a tie under a track already laid, or to withdraw the same, it can be accomplished without disturbing the rest of the track.

In order to more fully insure the rigid attachment of the rail to the tie, a key E may be driven under the removable lug D, with its end turned up, as shown at 6. By this means all tendency of the rails to move will be prevented.

I prefer that the bolt (Z, which holds the removable lug upon the tie, be fastened by a key passed through a slot in the bolt and afterward bent to prevent its working loose; but I do not wish to limit myself to this, as any means for fastening the bolt can be used without departing from my invention. Thus a simple nut may be employed with or without a nut-lock, or a key may be employed Without any nut.

While I prefer to make the lug D separate from the yoke or strap D yet the two may be made in a single piece of Wrought or malleable metal, as shown in Fig. 2.

F is a knob or shoulder cast on the tie, which is adapted to receive the thrust of the yoke or strap D and prevent any tendency of the latter when under strain to rotate back around its bolt.

Bolts G, held by a nut or key below, and having a lip to project on the foot of the rail, may pass up through the flange of the tie, as

shown in Fig. 6, to assist the lugs C and D insecuring the rail to the tie.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim isv 1. The combination, with the tie having the longitudinal rib, of the removable lug and its retaining-strap secured thereto by a bolt, and a resisting knob or shoulder upon said rib adapted to prevent pivotal movement of the strap upon the bolt and hold the lug to its place, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the rail and removable lugs for securing the same to the tie, of a metallic tie having the recess b, the recess 1'), and the knob or shoulder F, the latter cast integral with the tie, substantially as described.

' In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

CORYDON B. PALMER. \Vitnesses:

SAMUEL E. THOMAS, M. B. ODoGHERrY. 

